SOUL DORM

30

Sweet dreams are made of this...

***

CHAPTER 30: 

LEVEL TWO

Like every student, I had struggled in many classes before. Since failure was not an acceptable outcome in my family, I had to overcome some of them with perseverance, some with time, and some with sheer determination. However, today, for the first time in both my living and dead lives, I thought I had to accept defeat.

In one-word summary, the dance class was a disaster. Trust your partner, live the music, feel the harmony... None of these commands made any sense to me. As a result, my poor brain couldn't figure out how to direct my body. The outcome was a disgruntled angel, a Mars who spent the entire class grinning, and a humiliated Olive.

As usual, my soulmate couldn't care less. He knew that the ones snickering and giggling at us weren't laughing at him. Damn it, I was so untalented... Poor Theo had tried everything he could to bring me to a level where I could at least take the steps at the correct count. It hadn't happened, it wasn't happening, and it wasn't going to happen.

"Dancing with you was wonderful, Oliver," Mars had said at the end of the class. "I look forward to our next practice."

Of course, he was mocking me. His joy must have come from thinking I would eventually give up. He left me there, fuming, as he walked out of the hall with one of the girls who had been eyeing him all class long. I was going to lose my mind. What kind of divine justice was this? Why had all the talents in the catalog been bestowed upon this dandy, who had no desires, expectations, or goals, while I was punished with the cheapest package? I couldn't stand it!

"You're being too hard on yourself," Diego said as we returned to our rooms.

"I thought you two looked really cute together," Ursa agreed from my other side.

"You mean funny," I retorted.

"No, cute!" Ursa repeated without being fazed by my reaction. "Besides, everyone struggles in the first few classes. You wouldn't believe how much Diego had to put up with me at the beginning."

My face fell even further. "Well, since I don't have and don't want a partner to struggle with me... My fate is sealed."

Diego suddenly jumped in front of me, making me stumble to a stop. "You might not have a partner, but you have a Diego!" he said. Ursa clapped her hands gleefully as he spread his arms wide in a serenade.

"Yes! Diego can turn you into a star in just two or three lessons!"

"Don't be ridiculous," I said.

Diego put his hands on his hips and raised his chin challengingly. "I bet I can do it in just one lesson."

"You wouldn't turn down a private lesson from the best dancer in the Dorm, would you?" Ursa chimed in, leaning in between us.

I was stunned by the light that suddenly appeared at the end of the tunnel. "So you really... can make me dance?" I asked.

Ursa and Diego exchanged cunning grins. Before I knew what was happening, Diego had grabbed my hand, pulled me close, and assumed the dance position we had practiced in class. At the same time, both of them started singing the same song. Diego stepped to the left in sync. And suddenly, we were dancing in the corridor. Right, left, back, forward... Right, left, back, forward... Diego held me, twirled me, and turned with me. Ursa was right beside us, following the steps on her own.